Orka Game Engine and License

The Orka Game Engine Logo

As of this morning, I released the Orka Game Engine along with the Orka Game Engine License. Both can be downloaded on our site or via the following links...

Orka Game Engine

Orka Game Engine License

This system has evolved over the last year and a half or so. My initial intent was to build a super simple little game that I could use to introduce new players to gaming. That little system ballooned into a huge system which was then distilled into Mere Anarchy. From there I made Adventure Perilous and then the OGE. 

Currently, Mere Anarchy and Adventure Perilous each run off of this engine (however there is no mention of the engine in either game as their publication predates the OGE). Both the engine and the license are designed for simplicity and ease of use by third parties. The engine simply acts as a framework upon which user can build and modify and reskin (the engine offered has a fantasy skin but lacks any real flavor such as specific NPCs, monsters, etc.) The license allows for commercial use of the engine by third parties.

Basically, the OGE is taking OSR style games and simplifying them to bare essentials with the goal of as little record keeping as possible while still giving the players plenty of options as to character creation and advancement. Classes are ditched. Levels are simplified. Math is kept incredibly simple. 2d6 are used for most every roll. A focus is on players making characters and using their imaginations to play those characters as opposed to focusing on stats and score and predefined skills and attacks and magic and etc. The game is really designed to allow new players to learn the system in minutes and begin playing. Huge rulebooks aren't needed as the mechanics are straightforward and consistent throughout. 

I hope and encourage use of this engine and the license as I feel it is an incredibly elegant and robust system full of wonderful mechanics from scale and favorability rolls to attack and conflict rolls to rules for treasure and downtime to quick creation systems for NPCs and Monsters. 

Dirk